


Atlantis: The Love That Befell Two Nations

by Kumikoko



Category: Shingeki no Kyojin | Attack on Titan
Genre: Alternate Universe, Ancnient Egypt, First Kiss, Historical Fantasy, Interracial By Fantasy Standards, Interspecies Relationship(s), Interspecies Romance, Kings & Queens, Love at First Sight, M/M, Mermaids, Religious Content, mermales
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-02-06
Updated: 2020-02-05
Packaged: 2021-02-27 19:54:15
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 18,701
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22581328
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Kumikoko/pseuds/Kumikoko
Summary: To become the next king of Atlantis all Armin had to do was slay a shark. He fell in love instead.
Relationships: Armin Arlert/Levi
Comments: 8
Kudos: 23





	Atlantis: The Love That Befell Two Nations

**Author's Note:**

> I actually wrote the majority of this story last year and uhh, well, completely forgot it existed until I went to delete documents I don't need anymore. That said, I have no current plan to return to any of my old fan-fiction. I'm sorry to those who wanted new chapters to this story or that story. 
> 
> I hope you'll give this story a chance and maybe fall in love with it. I'm kind of proud of it. I did a lot of historical research for this fanfiction as well so one point I'd like to make is that at one point in history the Nubian's were briefly a Christian nation (don't remember what they were originally, Christian or other) until Muslims conquered them and ever since then no one even remembers they were anything but Muslim. What also isn't known too much is that (again at one point) they conquered Egypt, briefly, or at least some did rule as pharaohs, from what I gathered, and even battled against Rome at one point. They were pretty cool sounding, anyways so I'm writing Levi as a FICTIONAL Nubian. Not necessarily as realistic a Nubian as possible. 
> 
> Of course, there's tiny flecks of Atlantis lore because I'm fascinated by Atlantis (who isn't) and everything is done fictionally and creatively. I tend to watch Ancient Aliens, lol. I'm kind of a geek who is still single at age twenty seven, whoops! 
> 
> I want to point out that I'm leaving this fanfiction open ended. I have other ideas for it as to how to end it but I don't have the time to invest in more then what I have done. I hope you all enjoy it anyways. 
> 
> I do NOT own the characters Levi, nor Armin. I do not own Attack on Titan, nor its characters.

Atlantis: The Love That Befell Two Nations

A young man adorned in fragile, white pearls approached the Atlantean temple that was lit up by the desert sun. He marveled at the temple walls which had been constructed of orichalcum whose gold hues reflected the yellow swathes of sand dunes that were behind him.

The arched turquoise doors were cool to the touch as he pushed them open and stepped inside of the sacred building. He glanced at the wide, arched windows that complimented the doors, for they too were adorned in turquoise. It was a design choice he approved of for it reminded him of the ocean he was heading home to for it was only through the temple that Atlanteans could dive into the ocean and regain their lost fins.

Above him he took a last look at the ivory roofing that was wrought with gold and silver, which warded off the blaring heat of the midday sun. His gaze shifted to the statues that guarded the last set of Turquoise doors. One was a depiction of Poseidon, the first King of Atlantis while the other obsidian crafted statue represented Cleito.

_I, the eleventh to-be-king wish to honor them through my succession_. Armin thought as he entered the last room whose golden floors and walls were coated with the same Orichalcum that made up the pillars stationed in the center of the room where a platform stood. He ascended the stairs, the soft pads of his feet touching the turquoise hued carpet sewn of Egyptian Cotton.

Once the young, fair-skinned prince was underneath the dome he stared into the ocean water below and tightened his grip on the lance he held. His eyebrows narrowed with determination as he gazed upon the reflected image of Poseidon in the water from the artwork on the dome above.

_My ascension begins now_.

He dived into the water, breaking through the veil and submerged himself. As the cold water prickled his skin he felt the urge to change. His legs were bound together with fresh skin from which cerulean scales grew. Fins sprouted. Gills emerged on his pale body.

A Mer once more, Armin swam through the dark waters, letting his bioluminescent spear lead the way to the hunting grounds where his success or failure would alter Atlantean life forever. _I must not fail_ , He told himself, swishing his tailfin through the water. _One shark will suffice as proof I am worthy of ruling my ancestor’s kingdom_.

His hands shook with apprehension, thinking of the feat he had to accomplish within three days’ time _. I must find the shark, then I have to spear him and lug him home_. He tried to make his job sound easy to alleviate his fear, but his rational mind kept playing images of a shark fight gone wrong.

Horribly wrong.

Mutilated Mer corpses were often found, and Armin worried he would soon be amongst them.

_Failure is not an option, for a new successor would have to be named which would leave Atlantis kingless_. _A kingless country is a doomed country, as chaos will reign_. His thoughts ran wild with worry as he navigated through the clear water.

Fish of varying species, sizes and colors could be seen throughout the ocean paths Armin swam along. There were crabs, and starfish. Some engaged in fierce territorial battles that he made sure to swim around, not wanting to get pinched or bit depending on the creatures fighting at that moment. He even saw creatures that there was no name for, yet he ignored them in pursuit of a shark.

_How can I find a shark in three days’ time when they could be across the ocean from me_? Armin wondered, stopping as he noticed a swarm of jellyfish floating in the water. Sharks eat us. _They then must have way of hunting us_. He figured, nervously swimming around them, taking the longer path to not disrupt them.

Jellyfish, he knew, could be lethal to a lot of ocean life. Their stings could be zappy, the effects long-lasting at the very least, none of which Armin wanted. _Wait, that’s it_. Armin realized, stopping as his eyes widened. _I have to bait the shark to me, and while they are attracted to our blood, I wonder if they’re attracted to burnt flesh_?

He knew it was a crazy idea, but he was already turning around to stare at the ominous cloud of brightly colored jellyfish. _I don’t want to touch them with my bare hand, so maybe I can cover it_? Armin wondered, looking around for something to grab the jellyfish with. On the sandy sea ground he spotted a patch of seaweed.

_It’s better than nothing_. Armin guessed, pulling the seaweed out from the ground. A cloud of dust made him squeeze his eyes shut and sneeze. Once the dust was settled, he wrapped the seaweed around his hand.

As protected as he guessed he ever would be, Armin grabbed a jellyfish tentacle. The jellyfish responded with an instantaneous jolt of lightning that burnt through the seaweed and charred the Mer’s palm whilst jarring the rest of his body with a brutal shock.

_Ow_! Armin yelped and wrenched his hand away, feeling his eyes become hot. He cursed to himself and waved his hand in an effort to cool the burn with swishes of water. The burn smarted even as he traveled deeper into the ocean where the waters were cooler. _At least it’s not my spear hand_.

The thought did not lessen the pain his hand was in, nor did time for two hours of traveling through uncharted waters did not procure a shark. Armin did find an abandoned ship that he took shelter in, swimming in through a port hole window.

Once inside, he rested, letting his thoughts wander towards his stomach. _What will I eat to regain lost energy_? There seemed to be plenty of fish in the ocean to choose from but breaking up any schools of fish could cause larger predators to come around that he did not want to face.

Whales, for example, while not hostile, nor particularly interested in Mers, did have a habit of swallowing unsuspecting Mers in the process of feeding on plankton. In this way they were considered dangerous, which made him want to avoid them completely.

Oh, and ocean currents.

A stray guppy swam into the ship.

Armin reacted, spearing the unlucky fish. He pulled the spear out of the wriggling body and then took a bite out of the fish. Green blood surfaced, misting into the water. He kept the spear gripped in one hand while he held the fish in his other hand. His powerful Mer teeth left nothing but bone on the fish. The bone was discarded for bottom feeders to gnaw at, or to use in the building of their homes.

With renewed energy from an energizing snack, Armin approached the window to resume his journey of secession. He stopped, noticing a shark was swimming just outside, assumedly hunting for the now deceased fish.

_There’s a shark_! His first instinct was to dart off in the opposite direction and hide wherever he thought a shark could not penetrate. _I have to fight him and win, otherwise my kingdom will plummet into lawlessness_. Armin reminded himself, gripping the spear tightly with a trembling fist.

Fear made him falter. _It’s just…I’ve never fought a shark before…and I guess that’s the point of this exercise_ …Still, he hesitated, understanding the gravity of the situation before him _. No, I have to do this_. Armin lunged towards the shark, his tailfin swishing hard in his effort to reach the shark before the shark noticed him.

Instead of throwing the spear and chancing a complete miss, Armin jabbed the spear into the shark’s body. In response the shark bellowed and wrenched around, baring his teeth. Armin yanked the spear back and tried to dodge the gaping teeth filled mouth of the vengeful predator. A tooth slashed across his shoulder, drawing a thick trail of blood to permeate the water.

In the struggle, the shark whacked Armin with his powerful tail. The Mer gasped and was thrust through the water. He was caught up in a strong ocean current that propelled him through the ocean. His wild, panicked flaps of his tailfin did nothing to slow himself from being pulled to waters he was unfamiliar with.

The seaweed was greener, whilst the fish were brighter colors. He gasped, taking in the foreign coral and the odd species of crabs skirting across the ground. His heart raced wildly against his chest as a single thought plagued his mind;

_Where am I_? He wondered, beginning to swim around warily. _These waters are warm, and wild. I keep getting knocked off balance_. The Mer fretted, looking around desperately for a familiar rock or a friendly fish but like him, the fish were rocking back and forth from tumultuous waves.

Armin swam towards the pale moonlight above and broke through the surface of the water. Above him he could see dark clouds and felt strikingly cold-water splash onto his face from the skies above. _A storm_? Armin guessed, having heard of them before from other fish.

_And the skies above will darken while the ocean will shake. This is a sign the great Octopi is angry_.

An ancient fish tale warning nagged on Armin’s mind. He struggled against the warm waves that crashed against him to stay afloat, wanting to observe the world around him.

Nearby he spotted an unfamiliar object, one he suspected to be a boat that humans used to navigate the oceans. The boat was large, and it was lit up in angry red flames that raged despite the chilly rain. Thunder boomed from above and with another harsh roll of the sea the waves smacked into the boat, causing men to fall into the ocean.

Four of them surfaced, gasping and cursing as they grabbed onto floating chunks of wood and other furniture to help keep them afloat.

_One, two, three, four…wait, there was a fifth. Where’s the fifth_? Armin wondered while dread began to prick his heart. _I’ve heard some humans can’t swim…what if he’s swallowing water_!? He dived under the water’s surface and started to scour the rumbling water for the fifth man who had fallen from the boat.

With the help of his night vision he managed to find the fifth man who was sinking. He stopped, startled by a thin trail of blood that rose from the man’s forehead, assumedly from a wound that had knocked him out. _His blood is red_? Armin questioned, alarmed by the different, ominous color. _He must be in a bad way; I must help him and in turn he may help me return to my waters_.

Without his spear he had lost hold of when he had been slammed into the strong ocean current by the shark’s tailfin Armin had use of both of his arms and in this way, he hooked his arms underneath the stranger’s armpits. He gave his tailfin a hard flick to propel him towards the surface.

Another strong wave thrust him back towards the ocean ground, with the unconscious man weighing him down and making him flap his fin harder just to maintain some semblance of balance. _He’s short for a human, but he’s heavy_! Armin complained in his mind as he struggled again to rise to the waters surface, understanding only that humans couldn’t survive underneath the water like he and his kind could.

_There must be land somewhere_. Determination gave him the strength he needed to break through the waters surface. The man he lugged with him remained limp against him, which made Armin dart through the water quicker, in the direction the boat had traveled from. _What’s that_? He wondered, glimpsing a flicker of orange in the distance.

Heavy waves smacked against the pair, submerging them.

_Fire. It had to be fire_. Armin told himself, surfacing again.

Through the rain and the storm, he could see the faint glimmer of what he assumed to be a flickering fire.

_A light house is operating to guide the ship home, they must have set sail recently_. Armin guessed, focusing on the fading light in the storm. He struggled to stay above the water for the man’s sake, though his strength was fading. _If I can’t carry him to shore, I’d never be able to carry a shark home, dead or fighting_.

Fast and lithe as Armin was, he fretted he wouldn’t arrive upon the shore in time, especially when another wave pushed him into some coral on the reef. The guy’s shirt got caught, and while Armin pulled with all his might, the fabric wouldn’t give. Impatient and tired, he sliced the fabric free with his sharp fingernails.

The thread cut easily, freeing them both from the sharp, spindly coral on the reef, allowing them to surface. Armin rose again and for a minute his heart raced with worry for he didn’t immediately see the faint red glow that had brought him this far. A few quick, panicked glances later he found the light and raced for it, dragging the man with him.

In his haste and dogged persistence, he didn’t realize he was already on the shore until the muddy beach was scraping at his tailfin. He arched his tailfin and pulled the listless human onto it, curling an arm behind his neck to support it.

The moonlight shown down, illuminating the human’s golden-brown skin and dark, drenched hair that stuck to his face. _He’s different_. Armin remarked to himself in wonder as he swiped a curious thumb across the scarlet liquid that trickled down the man’s face from the headwound.

Against his better judgement, the Mer tentatively wrapped his lips around his thumb, tasting iron. _It’s definitely blood, yet it’s red_ …He pushed the observation aside as he noted the bluish tint on the guy’s otherwise pale lips. _Some water must have been swallowed_. Armin thought, and pressed his hand against the man’s toned stomach.

He carefully readjusted his weight, lending strength to his hand. As he did, the human bolted upright in response, coughing and spluttering saltwater out of his mouth and onto the retreating, foamy wave.

“Are you alright?” Armin asked, setting a hand on the other male’s heaving shoulder with concern reflecting in his eyes.

“Fine,” He stammered curtly, gasping for breath as he brushed the Mer off of him. “I’m fine.”

“You don’t seem fine,” Armin remarked, resting his hands against his tailfin that became submerged under water as the tide crashed onto the shore, splattering cold water onto their faces. “Your head bleeds red.”

“My head—” He repeated, furrowing his eyebrows with confusion as he pressed his palm to his head. “Red?”

“You’re hurt,” Armin said, watching him bring his short-nailed fingers into eyesight to inspect the source of liquid he had swiped off of his head. “The ship was on fire and you were—”

“Ugh,” He groaned, recognizing the red liquid as blood. “Yeah, I’m bleeding. So what?” He muttered as he began to rise.

“Ah, I don’t know if that is a good—”His words were drowned out by an explosion of thunder as he reached for the human to catch him if he fell.

“You coming?” He asked, impatient as he brushed some of his wet hair out of his face. A flash of lightning lit up his obsidian hued eyes set against golden-brown skin.

Armin felt his breath hitch in his throat as he stared at the foreign human. _Everything about him is dark_. He thought, mesmerized by how different the man was in comparison to the Mers. _I’ve never seen a dark Mer before, and if it’s true that some of us split off from our ancestors and went on land to become humans, what happened to us then to make him reflect the obsidian we craft statues with_?

“What—” The man snapped, then clamped his own mouth shut as he noticed Armin’s ivory skin that seemed to glow in the soft moonlight. He looked closer and saw the shine was from the oodles of pearls that the Mer was adorned with. A stark white, open vest complimented the pearls, and the large, blue eyes that stared up at him with the same intrigued astonishment he felt his own widen with.

His black eyes zeroed in on scarlet red trails stemming from Armin’s shoulder, and his snow-white side. “Shit,” He cursed, his voice softening. “You’re hurt too.”

“I—I am?” Armin questioned, surprised to hear of his own similarly poor condition. He looked down at himself and let out a startled gasp upon seeing red blood ooze from his body. “It’s red!?”

“Of course, it’s red,” He scoffed, kneeling down onto one knee as the tide rolled in again, covering the Mer’s lap and his knee. “What other color would blood be?”

“Green, blood is green.” Armin responded, watching as the man pressed a gentle hand to his shoulder. “I don’t even know how—” He stopped, remembering when the shark’s tooth grazed his shoulder, and the moment he was thrust against the coral by a powerful wave.

“Doesn’t matter,” He remarked, pressing a calloused hand against the Mer’s side, inspecting the wound. “You’ll need bandages, or a dry room.”

“There’s a lighthouse nearby,” Armin suggested, then looked for the light that had guided him here. He saw it, above sharp, rocky crags. “We can retreat there.”

The human followed his gaze and saw the stone lighthouse tower atop the hill that wrought shadows onto the ocean. He looked back to the Mer prince. “Let’s go.”

Armin pushed up, expecting to rise to his feet. His tailfin weighed him down and made him stumble back onto the shore. The warm waves fell over him again, hiding his true form. “Ow,” He murmured, using the mild sting stemming from his side as an excuse as to why he couldn’t rise. “I’ll, ahm, catch up with you, alright?”

“Bullshit,” He snorted, curling one arm around Armin’s waist, and in one strong heave he lifted the Mer off of the beach, with his other arm underneath the heavy tailfin. “I’m not leaving you to die.”

“Eek!” A startled noise erupted from Armin’s throat as he was lifted into the air, and in his panic he threw his arms around the short man’s thick neck. _He—he’s holding me? But my tailfin is so heavy out of water_!

“You got wood legs?” He asked, noticing a distinct difference in the texture and overall weight of the Mer’s legs. In the pale light of the moon and the raging of the storm he couldn’t see the tailfin. He only saw the long, white loincloth and the pearls that adorned even his waist.

“I—uh, yes?” Armin responded uncertainly, doubting the human would understand the fact that he had a tailfin. He cleared his throat, intent on telling as much of the truth as he could. “It’s uhm, part of who I am.”

“You from a failed rescue ship?” He questioned, heading up the rocky path to the lighthouse while the cold wind smacked against his skin.

“Something like that,” Armin replied evasively, craning his head to stare at the faint orange light coming from the lighthouse. _If I don’t dry by the time we reach the light, he’ll know I’m not one of his kind and then who knows if I’ll be able to return to the ocean to complete my task_. “What’s your name?”

“Levi.” He responded distractedly, searching for a less mud-slick ascent.

“I am Armin Arlert, though you may call me Armin.” He told him, introducing himself, his tone formal.

“Guessing the pearls make you important?” Levi remarked, carrying him towards the lighthouse.

“I, uhm, could be king one day if I bring a dead shark back to my kingdom,” Armin said, giving a small shrug of his shoulders to downplay the truth. “It would feed and fuel us for awhile.”

“Intense,” Levi responded, sounding uninterested in the fish tale. “You don’t believe that, do you?”

“Well, I—” A roar of thunder startled Armin, making him press his forehead against the human’s collarbone.

“You’re the sacrificial lamb, wooden legs and all,” Levi stated, his words coarse and unrefined. “Don’t you get that?”

_No, every prince has had to bring a dead shark home. But I can’t argue with him without giving myself away_. “I never…I’ve never thought about it that way before.” Armin admitted, listening to his wet footsteps and the splash of the waves against solid rock.

“Listen,” Levi began as he approached the lighthouse door. He paused for a moment, noticing a freshly mangled corpse on the ground nearby as another flash of lightning lit the ground up. _There’s the lighthouse guardian, the winds must have knocked him to the ground_. “Once the storm is over, I’ll allow you to accompany me on my search for survivors if you don’t slow me down.”

_We’d be heading the same way for a little while, and if he’s willing to go that far back into the ocean, maybe he’d be willing to go a little further to help me_. “I will, if you can help me return to the cooler waters from where I come from.”

“Cooler waters?” Levi repeated as he opened the door and stepped inside the dark tower. _Guessing the guy was so busy fueling the fire for the lighthouse that the rest of the flames in the tower went out long ago_. “Where are you from?”

“The Kingdom of Atlantis.” Armin answered proudly, figuring the man would naturally doubt his story.

“Oh, my kingdom trades with yours regularly.” Levi remarked, knowing of the kingdom though he had yet to visit.

“What?” Armin asked, astonished to learn they were country neighbors.

“Yeah, and I did hear your people were white as fuck, but I never believed it.” Levi added, carefully ascending curved stairs that echoed. “People are naturally the color of the earth because we’ve come from the earth.”

“Why would you not believe it?” Armin questioned, pursing his lips with curiosity. “Everyone looks like me, but nobody looks like you where I come from because we’d never be able to find each other underwater if we were dark like you are.”

Levi scoffed, opening another doorway. He stepped into the room and was relieved to see the small flickers of flames in the center of the room, located on a round pedestal. “You’ve clearly not seen the world, then because everybody looks like me.”

In the glimmers of red and yellow light Armin was able to clearly make out Levi’s strong jawline, and his tiny, narrowed eyes. “No, you’re exotic.” Armin said, deciding he liked Levi’s appearance. The dark skin and full lips, while foreign to him, were attractive. 

“ _I’m_ exotic?” Levi repeated as he set the mesmerized Mer down. “You have a lot of nerve saying that when you’re the one who isn’t any varying shade of brown like normal people are.”

“It’s a compliment,” Armin said quickly, curling his tailfin underneath him to hide it. “I wasn’t trying to offend you.”

“Whatever,” Levi muttered, grabbing some dry firewood from one of the many stone compartments within the room. He then tossed them onto the dying embers and watched the flames grow large again before refocusing on Armin who had shifted just enough for his tailfin to be just out of direct view. “Your eyes are really blue.”

Their eyes met. The storm raged around them with the fierce rain whittling the fire down again, yet despite their differences, background and environment, they were drawn towards each other. Levi knelt before Armin, staring into his blue eyes and cupped his chin in his hand, entranced by the siren and his fair skin. He had never seen someone with such attractive blue eyes before. Brown eyes were all he had ever known but this young man before him was _different_. And he kind of liked that.

A forbidden kiss was stolen in the bright glow of the firelight as their chilled lips met.

_Mmm, he likes me too_. Armin thought, giving into temptation as he curled his arms around Levi’s neck, mindful not to nick him. _I don’t even care that his lips are rough_.

Levi grabbed at the buttonless vest and tugged it off of the Mer, then snaked an arm around his waist, pulling him close. He heard Armin moan softly and then pushed some of his blonde hair out of his face. _His hair is coarse and thick, still wet. Too wet_.

One glance at the roaring fire assured him they wouldn’t catch sick in the cold air and wet clothes. He resumed kissing Armin, caressing his hair again. The sun kissed hair and water blessed eyes turned him on, urging him to pull Armin into his lap.

Armin giggled, thrilled the human had what seemed to be unwavering strength. _He’s so strong_. His heart raced with the excitement of being with a human who could move him around with ease, tailfin and all. He tugged Levi’s shirt off, their wounds and aches long forgotten.

The wet garments Armin pulled off of Levi’s upper body were dropped onto the ground near them, close to the fire. He set a hand on his broad shoulder, and his other hand onto his toned chest, feeling him up with delighted intrigue. _I didn’t know human bodies could feel firm_.

Thunder rolled across the dark clouds, drowning out the howling wind. The fire near them crackled, spurred on by the onslaught of rain. Levi shielded the mer from the brunt of the rain, for his back was to the weather. He pressed his fingertips against Armin’s side and slid them down the soft curve of his body to rest on his hip.

“Wait,” Armin requested between heavy breaths as he pulled away, “I don’t know who you are or where you’re even from.”

“Does it matter?” Levi questioned, then sighed as he received a pointed look from Armin. “Fine, you were this close—” He brought two of his fingers close together to express his point, “—from fucking the Nubian prince who conquered Egypt.”

“The Nubian prince who conquered Egypt?” Armin repeated, narrowing his eyes with skepticism as he looked Levi over critically. “I’ve never heard of Nubians.”

“You’ve also never seen anyone with dark skin, yet we exist and have always existed.” Levi countered, gesturing with his hand for emphasis.

_He’s right. I knew humans existed, I just thought they would be white like the Mers_. _I don’t see how they de-evolved from us, though_. “You’re really a prince then?” Armin asked, tilting his head with curiosity.

“Pharaoh, these days.” Levi corrected, standing up to replenish the dying fire with dry wood. The strong aroma of cedar wafted into the room; whose half walls allowed the fire to be seen for miles on open ocean. “Though the Egyptians refer to me as the Pharaoh from Ta-Seti, the land of the bow.”

“The bow?” Armin inquired, picking his vest up from the ground and flushed red. _I don’t know what I was thinking, kissing a stranger_.

“Yeah, we’re known for our archery,” Levi responded, rubbing the back of his neck. “But daggers have always been my style.”

“Can I see?” Armin asked, noticing the short weapon sheaths belted to Levi’s hips. _Maybe I can at least learn something about weapons from him that may be more effective against sharks_?

Levi nodded and pulled out one of his hip daggers. The shine of obsidian made Armin’s heart race with excitement, recognizing a familiar ore. “The black rock came from the sky. I fashioned them myself into weapons when I was in my youth.”

“Ooh,” Armin remarked, marveling at the dagger. _I don’t think I can use it against a shark, but it sure is pretty_! “How old are you, anyways?”

“Twenty maybe,” Levi answered, tucking the weapon back into its sheath. “I haven’t really counted the years.”

_He’s young, like I am_. Armin realized, thinking about their similarities. _We’re both of princely origin too_.

Lightning flashed, illuminating the tower and Armin’s drying wounds.

“Stay here, I’ll go find some bandages.” Levi told him, rising to his feet to grab another piece of wood to let one side of it be peppered with rain. He switched the wood around to hold the damp end of it, then stuck the dry end of the wood into the fire, crafting a torch to light his way through the dark lighthouse.

“I can help.” Armin said, pushing himself up. His new legs wobbled underneath the strain of fatigue he endured from swimming against ocean currents. “Ngh!”

Levi outstretched a quick arm, curling it around Armin’s waist to catch him. “You’re unsteady on your feet.” He remarked, lowering him back onto the ground.

“Sorry,” Armin mumbled sheepishly, reluctantly accepting the help for his legs were heavy. “I’m just a fish out of water, I guess.” 

“So stay here.” Levi repeated, his tone firmer as he carried the torch with him to the door. He left the room and descended the stairs to the tiny living quarters the lighthouse guardian had stayed in.

A single bed told the story of a lone man. It was unlikely to Levi that the man had people who cared for him for the work of a lighthouse guardian tended to be solitary. _When the rain ceases, I’ll bury him_. He thought, rooting through a few of the drawers and cabinets located in the room.

_Knives, bowls, cloths_ …Levi made mental notes of where important items were kept within the cramped room. A single arched window allowed him to see the rain had yet to stop, though it had begun to lesson. _Handkerchiefs will have to work as bandages_. He decided, grabbing a few of them to tie together.

They appeared to be clean and were dry which was the best that Levi could hope for. He hung the torch up in a notch on the wall to lend light to the room. _I’ll return with Armin_.

The stairs were tiring, yet Levi did not complain as he re-entered the half-walled room where Armin was waiting for him. “You listened, Impressive.” Levi remarked, a hint of sarcasm in his tone as he crouched before Armin.

“I, well, don’t have much of a choice,” Armin admitted, smiling sheepishly as he rubbed the back of his neck. “I feel better knowing you’re kind of heavy despite your height too.”

“Am I?” Levi asked, surprised to hear the attractive Mer had carried him at all. “When did you lift me? When I was out?”

“Yeah, I carried you through the water to the shore,” Armin answered, moving his arm out of the way as Levi brought the cloth to his side. “I admit fighting the ocean waves were harder, though.”

“You must swim well,” Levi remarked, tying the cloth around Armin’s body to shield the wound from the weather. “I only know how to swim through need and can’t say I like not having the ground underneath my feet.”

“That’s weird, the dry land is foreign to _my_ feet.” Armin said, thinking of how right it felt to swim in the ocean and how opposite their habitat of comfort was. _I’ll return to the water soon and when I do, I won’t let myself dry out again for it is a MerKing’s duty to represent his people_.

“What happened to your hand?” Levi asked, grabbing Armin’s wrist to bring the hand into the light of the fire so he could see the wound.

“I, ahh, grabbed something I shouldn’t have.” Armin muttered sheepishly, looking away as his cheeks burned pink with shame.

“Your kind is why I can’t run around with daggers anymore.” Levi grumbled under his breath, wrapping more cloth around Armin’s hand to cover the wound. He then curled an arm around Armin’s waist and hoisted him up. “Come on, Fishie.”

“You don’t know how funny that is,” Armin mused, laughing nervously. “I mean, imagine we were different species and I was a fish out of the water.”

“If not for the blood I’d doubt I was the one who hit my head,” Levi muttered, carrying Armin into the sparsely lit bedroom. “You should rest while the storm rages.”

“What about you?” Armin asked as Levi lowered him onto the bed, letting his eyes linger on him for a moment too long. _He’s gentle when he wants to be_.

“I’ll sit guard.” Levi responded, plopping down on the wooden chair near the window. He had a nice view of the desert landscape, though he barely looked at it twice for it was all he had ever known.

Armin folded his arms across his chest and furrowed his eyebrows. “There’s no one around for miles on end, and even if thieves are around, the only thing worth stealing around here are my pearls.”

“I’m not watching over you, I’m guarding my daggers.” Levi said, draping an arm on the windowsill.

_Ouch_. _He must be thinking about our kiss and how he regrets it happening_. “Look, I know we kissed and maybe it is a bit awkward to think about, but…but it won’t happen again.”

Levi narrowed his eyebrows and stared at Armin, his expression reflecting his thoughts; _I’m the one who should be telling you that_. “What’re you talking about? Nothing happened.”

_He’s definitely regretting our kiss, but it’s a bit of a weird time to think rationally_. Armin sighed with disappointment, rubbing the back of his neck nervously as he brought his legs up against his chest. “Nothing happened.”

“Damn right.” Levi retorted, turning his gaze to the muddy desert.

_What was I thinking, kissing another male, let alone a human_? Armin wondered as he laid down, pulling a thin blanket over his head. He frowned at the musty scent and pushed it away, disgusted that the previous owner had not deigned to wash the blanket in awhile. _I have to focus on my mission. I can’t let myself be sad over a kiss that was never supposed to happen_.

He thought that, but he spent the next thirty minutes agonizing about the rejection Levi had shoved in his face as if he hadn’t also wanted to kiss him. His sad thoughts drifted away with his consciousness. A harrowing sleep occupied his brain. Something about an enraged octopus and a familiar desert city being banished forevermore to the deep ocean.

“Wake up.”

Armin jolted awake, panting and sweating. “Wh—what?” He asked, looking around at the sunlit room while his heart raced against his chest.

“I packed some bread away for our trip, let’s go.” Levi urged, gesturing towards the door with his free hand, for the other gripped a knapsack that was slung over his shoulder.

_It’s morning…the rain has stopped…I really have to find that shark and bring it home soon_. Armin told himself as he slid his legs off of the bed and ran a quick hand through his hair to mock-brush it. He simpered nervously as Levi frowned impatiently at him and stood up, feeling reenergized.

“I’m coming, I’m coming.” Armin assured the impatient human and quickly followed after him, letting him lead him through the lighthouse.

Once they were outside, he spotted a fresh mound of sand that resembled a grave. _Is it a grave to honor those he might have lost at sea_? Armin wondered, recalling the other men that had been thrown overboard by the harsh ocean storm.

“There’s a small boat we can use to search for survivors. If we find any, we’ll take them with us back to Egypt where I can pour over my maps for Atlantis’s location.” Levi said, leading Armin along the path they ascended last night.

The morning sun warmed the sand beneath their feet and lit up the lagoon they washed up in. Armin could see the waves gently rolling onto the sand only to recede with fluidity. A pack of seagulls sat on a lone rock in the ocean, squawking at the yellow overlord in the sky.

_He remembered_. Armin thought, smiling. “We must hurry for I have to return before three days’ time.”

“You’re asking for the impossible,” Levi retorted, rolling his eyes as he shoved a hand into the knapsack. “Do you have any idea how far away we are from Egypt? It took my crew two days to arrive here at the lighthouse by boat, and even if there was a way to walk across the desert and not die, it’d take a week.”

_That can’t be. I’ll never make it home in time_. “I have a really important, ah, tradition to attend to…is there really no way for us to arrive in Egypt sooner?” Armin asked, feeling a sense of dread strike thorns within his heart.

“Nah, you’re stuck with me for awhile.” Levi responded, handing over a chunk of bread to Armin. “Eat.”

_There has to be a way for me to arrive home on time, or there’s no point in even returning_. Armin thought, fretting as he accepted the bread and took a bite out of it. _If there’s an ocean current I may be able to return, but without maps from Egypt, the current I find could take me anywhere_. _No shark, no king, no kingdom_ … “Hrngh…”

“What’s wrong with you?” Levi questioned, noticing how pale and worried Armin appeared to be. “You look like you’re going to be sick.”

“I…I really need to return home.” Armin insisted, imagining the lawlessness that could overtake the kingdom as it had once before. The bloodshed and crime of the days before monarchs were days Armin did not want to bring to his people.

“Yeah, yeah I heard you, but I can’t do shit about it so drop it.” Levi snapped, irritated the Mer was fretting over something neither of them couldn’t control. “Now get in the damn boat already or sta—” He stopped, realizing for the first time that Armin did not have wooden legs at all as he had suspected.

Armin followed his gaze down to his legs. _What is he_ —His own eyes widened, remembering that he lied to Levi last night about his legs. “They’re, ah, not wooden…” He muttered, feeling his cheeks heat up red with shame.

“Clearly,” Levi retorted, climbing into the boat abruptly. “And I thought I was dishonest.”

“It’s not like that!” Armin insisted, clambering into the boat, fearful he would be left behind otherwise. “It’s just something I don’t know how to tell you.”

“Whatever,” Levi muttered, grabbing an oar and then tossed it to Armin. “You can help row, or are your arms wooden now too?”

_He can be so mean_ …Armin thought, clamping his mouth shut while his face flushed red. He silently began to row the boat, following Levi’s lead. _It’s not like I wanted to lie to him. It’s just, I don’t know what he would do if he found out I was a Mer_.

Although Armin knew Mers traded with humans from time to time he was also aware of their tense and often bloody history. The wars between their races were written of in ballads and etched into underwater stone. Just because the last war was over a hundred years ago did not mean their two races could co-mingle in peace.

Rowing in tense silence was uncomfortable, but neither dared to break the silence that had befallen them. A few fleeting glances were passed between them, but it wasn’t until they arrived at the wreckage of the Egyptian boat that the silence was broken.

“Shit.” Levi cursed, tossing the oar aside into the boat. He pulled his shirt off and then jumped into the ocean to search for any surviving comrades.

_This is awful…I don’t think anyone else survived the storm_. Armin worried, observing the floating bodies of men and floating objects. He looked back to the boat, noting charring and missing planks. He saw Levi grab onto the metal anchor that had been released as a last-ditch attempt to keep the boat afloat and watched with some awe as he climbed it.

“Hey, is anyone around?” He heard Levi call out, then turned his gaze to the wide expanse of ocean around him.

_I could leave now. Levi would never learn my secret then, and I might be able to ask some fish for directions_. Armin told himself as he held his wrapped, burnt hand against his body, feeling the way it throbbed from pain. He had been nursing it ever since it became wounded.

His thoughts were interrupted as a loud splash distracted him. He looked up at the ship in time to see Levi throw another listless body overboard.

“What are you doing!?” Armin shrieked, grabbing the discarded oar to row the boat closer to the ship. “Wasn’t that a crewmate of yours?”

“They’re dead now,” Levi responded, heaving a third body into the ocean. “The ship will still function, we can take it to Egypt and if the winds are generous, we’ll be there before tomorrow.”

“You’re going to attract sharks!” Armin warned, bringing the boat as close as he could to the anchor. He grabbed onto the metal and stood up, holding onto it tightly as the boat shook underneath him. “Or the Kraken.”

“You coming up or not?” Levi asked, completely ignoring the Mer’s warning.

“Y-yeah…” Armin muttered, looking around himself nervously for any protruding shark fins. He had a foreboding sense that the deceased men and the wounds they had accumulated during the storm would attract hungry sharks. _I have a really bad feeling about this. The water is too quiet, too still_ …

“Ain’t got all day,” Levi called, subtly reminding the Mer that he was wasting time. “Pinkie.” He added, noting the discoloration marring Armin’s body from long exposure to the heat.

“Pinkie—?” Armin repeated, glancing down at himself. _Oh, Mers burn if they’re in the sun too long…I hope a shelter remains on the boat_. He grabbed onto the metal anchor and pulled himself up carefully, mindful of his wet feet that threatened to slip with every precarious movement.

“You’re catching the sun, taking your time as you are,” Levi taunted, folding his arms against the edge of the boat to watch Armin ascend the anchor slowly. “It’d be a damn shame if a shark arrived.”

“Shut up,” Armin complained, panting for breath while sweat trickled down his cheek. “It’s not as easy as you made it seem.”

Levi smirked with amusement, then noticed something move in the distance and frowned. “Hurry up, something’s alive out there.”

“That’s not funny,” Armin retorted, rolling his eyes. “And if I recall, you _could_ be lifting the anchor and me up but—”

“Damn it!” Levi exclaimed, focusing on the grey fin that protruded from the water. “I’m not fucking with you; a shark really did arrive!”

_A shark_? Armin reluctantly turned his head to see an ominous pointy fin charging towards the boat. _He must be attracted to my wounds_. Armin fretted, clamoring up another loop of iron as the instinct to run overtook him.

“Hang on, isn’t this a good thing?” Levi asked, lifting an eyebrow at Armin who stared back at him as if he were crazy. “You said you had to fell a shark.”

_I…I do_ …Armin remembered, pausing in his ascent. _But without my spear…I have now way to fight him. My nails tear through a lot. Shark scales are not one of those things_!

“Hey, move!” Levi shouted, the urgency in his tone making Armin look up when he should have looked down.

The shark rammed into the anchor, dislodging it from the sand. Armin shrieked and clung to the anchor tightly as it shook and vibrated. He let out another startled yelp as the shark chomped down on the metal and began to tug at it, making it sway violently.

“Forget the shaking, just climb!” Levi yelled down to him.

“I can’t!” Armin shouted back, squeezing his eyes shut against the shaking world and held on tightly to the metal. “Shaking and spinning disorients me!”

“Then thank the stars above my arrows never miss!” Levi responded, unsheathing his daggers as he hopped onto the edge of the rocking boat. He threw the daggers, aiming at the abrasive shark, then stumbled backwards from the swaying boat and fell back onto the soles of his feet against the floor of the boat.

“You got him!” Came Armin’s relieved announcement.

Levi returned to the edge of the boat to see Armin resume his climb up the swaying anchor. The shark was gone, the only remaining evidence of his presence being a pool of blood. He looked back to Armin and stretched his hand out to him. “Hurry, we have to go after it.”

“What?” Armin asked as he grabbed onto Levi’s hand and let himself be pulled onto the boat. “I’d rather thank you for saving my life and repay you with the treasure of Atlantis.”

“I’m getting my arrows back and you’re going to help me,” Levi said as he grabbed Armin’s wrist and pulled him into the weapons room that was below deck. He ignored his stammering protests and plucked an obsidian bow inlaid with gold off of the wall mount. “An arrow or two will slay it.”

“But I’ve never used a bow and arrow before!” Armin protested, voicing his frustration while he wrenched away from the other male. “I use spears.”

“Then you’re about to become a perfect shot on the first try,” Levi responded, shoving the bow against Armin’s chest. “Oh, and don’t break my bow. It’s one of a kind.” He added, lugging the quiver over his shoulder.

“You’re not listening to me,” Armin complained as Levi pushed him back up the stairs to the boat. “I have no idea what you’re asking me to do with this.”

“Stop complaining and listen,” Levi urged, guiding Armin to the edge of the deck where they had climbed up from. “Look, he’s circling the anchor.” He pointed to the shark and draped another arm over Armin’s shoulders to keep him from running away. “We can still shoot him and get my arrows back.”

“You mean your daggers?” Armin suggested, thinking of the daggers the human had thrown at the shark.

“Pay attention and hold the bow like this,” Levi snapped, repositioning Armin’s arms to hold the bow properly. “You pull the arrow back like this and aim.” Levi instructed, shoving an arrow into his hand and guided him to pull it back.

“It hurts!” Armin complained, feeling the string press against his thumb.

“And then you let it go.” Levi finished as if the Mer hadn’t just complained and pulled his hands away.

“Ow!” Armin cried out as the string let loose, nicking him while a single pearl clattered onto the wooden floor. He stumbled back, falling against Levi who caught him by grasping his sides. The arrow pierced through the air and struck the shark who thrashed in the water, enraged by the wound. “Why would anyone use these weapons!?”

“We have two more arrows to let loose before he escapes,” Levi said, shoving another arrow into Armin’s trembling hand. “Try aiming for his eye.”

“Ugh!” Armin groaned, rolling his eyes as he positioned himself the way Levi had him pose a moment ago. _The string is digging into my finger_. He thought distractedly as he aimed as best he could, then with trembling arms let the arrow loose. The arrow plunged into the sharks back.

“What the hell was that!?” Levi exclaimed, waving his arm with exasperation.

Armin whirled around to face Levi, his blue eyes blazing indignantly. “I told you I have no idea what I am doing,” He snapped, gripping the bow tightly. “I’m an _Atlantean_ , not some bow-wielding _Nubian_ - _Egyptian_ -hell ever you are!”

“I’m a Nubian who wields daggers, daggers which are embedded into a shark because you wouldn’t just climb the damn chain.” Levi retorted, crossing his arms over his chest. “Who became pharaoh of Egypt during a hostile take over.”

_Oh_. Armin shut up as guilt entered his heart. _It’s my fault he used and lost his daggers. That’s why I must help him get them back_. “Fine, I’ll do it. Just…go easy on me, okay?” Armin relented, his tone softening as he lifted his bleeding thumb into view. “The string split my finger open.”

Levi immediately reached for the stone thumb ring he wore, then hesitated for a moment when he grabbed it. “You…you can use this really quickly,” He said, grabbing Armin’s hand to slide the ring onto his thumb. “Just give it back to me when the shark is dead.” 

_Is it sentimental to him_? Armin wondered as he let Levi adjust his position to hold the bow taut and tall. “I will.” He promised, focusing his aim now that his thumb was protected by the stone ring.

“Breathe in and let go.” Levi instructed, lending some of his strength to Armin so he could keep the string held taut.

_In, then out_ …Armin repeated in his head as he breathed in, and then out to steady himself as he was instructed. He finished aiming and then let the arrow fly. It pierced through the shark’s head, killing it instantaneously.

When the body floated to the surface of the water Armin let out a relieved sigh. _I did it. I defeated a shark_.

“Good going,” Levi remarked, clapping a hand over his shoulder. “You’re not a bad shot for being an Atlantean.”

“Next time, I get to teach you how to use spears.” Armin remarked, smiling lightly from the unexpected praise. He felt good about completing his mission and let out a happy sigh. _I can return home and be king_.

“You did it, now what?” Levi asked, taking the bow from Armin to sling over his shoulder.

“I guess we take the shark with us to Egypt, pour over the maps and then return me home to Atlantis.” Armin suggested as he slid the ring off of his finger and handed it back to the human.

“How the fuck do we do that?” Levi questioned, arching his eyebrow at Armin. “He’s too far out to cast a net and turning the ship around to be close enough to do that would be a bitch.”

“I—” Armin clamped his mouth shut, slowly beginning to realize that a new problem was presenting itself. _If it’s far out, how can we bring it to us_?

“I hate to admit it but I can’t lug the shark here alone either.” Levi added, running a hand through his hair. “By myself I can only fetch my weapons.”

“We’ll take the rowboat.” Armin suggested, taking a moment to pick the pearl up before he approached the edge of the boat. “I’ll row and help hold the shark while you help it along from the water.” He stopped again, staring at the small rowboat that got knocked back during the struggle with the anchor and shark. _I can’t jump that far and land in the boat so what am I going to do? I don’t want him to find out that I’m a Mer_.

“What was that about you being home in the water?” Levi retorted, noticing Armin’s sudden reluctance to dive right into the water. “All your talk about water was bravado, huh?” He challenged, crossing his arms over his chest.

“No, I, ah, it’s just—”

“Sink or swim.” Levi told him as he pushed him into the water.

Armin let out a panicked scream as he plunged into the warm ocean water. As soon as he was submerged, his legs were pressed together as fresh skin grew over them. Scales and gills formed on his body as he transitioned into a Mer.

It was not only a natural transformation; it was instinctual to protect him from drowning.

Quick as Armin was, he was still gasping for air as he surfaced and threw his arms over the boat. He sputtered and coughed, reeling from being callously tossed into the ocean.

“I guess you can swim,” Levi mused, smirking with amusement. “Or you’re a quick learner.” With that said, he dived into the ocean without another thought.

_What am I going to do? I can’t surface without him finding out my secret and that would violate a sacred Atlantean law_. Armin worried, biting his lip anxiously as he clutched the side of the boat with one trembling hand and used his other to press against his forehead. _As it is, I have no idea where I am nor how to return home. I can’t just take the shark and go either_.

“Coming?” He snapped out of his thoughts and looked up to see Levi hoist himself into the rowboat. Sunlit water slid off of his bronzed body, distracting Armin for a minute. “You’re the one who said you only have three days.” Levi reminded him, outstretching his hand towards him to help him into the boat.

“I—I’ll just…I…” Armin stammered, wracking his brain for a solution. _I have no choice_. He realized, hanging his head with shame as he grabbed onto Levi’s helping hand. “I…have something to show you…”

“But?” Levi guessed as he arched an inquisitive eyebrow and helped pull Armin up.

“Ngh…I…I can’t…not like this…” Armin said, straining to lift his tailfin over the edge of the rocking boat.

“You get caught up in the anchor?” Levi asked, relying on his strength reserves to hoist the mer up and over the edge of the boat despite his pained grunt. He lost his balance and fell back, while Armin crashed on top of him. “It’s like pulling the sword from the stone…” He grumbled between tired pants, pushing him off.

“No…I’m…not like you…” Armin confessed quietly, pushing himself up into a sitting position. He lifted his tailfin whose blue scales glittered cerulean in the sunlight. “I…I am a Mermale…”

“What are you—” Levi’s words faltered as he saw the foreign tailfin, glittering in the midday light and blinked. “Oh, that makes a lot of sense.”

“D-does it?” Armin asked nervously as he grabbed his arm. “How so…?”

“I couldn’t figure out how you found our ship, let alone how you rescued me the way you said you did for starters.” Levi responded, shuffling closer to the Mer to get a better view of the tail. He placed his hand over Armin’s hip, feeling the same hard, rough scales he felt when he had been advancing on him.

Understanding flickered into Levi’s eyes. “This is why you grabbed my wrist last night.”

“Yeah…I knew you’d realize I was different from you if I gave in to your touches.” Armin admitted, looking away while his face reddened a darker shade. “And I…I shouldn’t even be showing you my true form, I’m breaking Atlantean Law—!”

His words were swallowed by a daring kiss, one that calmed his racing heart. Armin closed his eyes and curled his arms around Levi’s neck, letting himself be pressed against the benches. _He accepts me for who I am_.

Levi pulled back and pushed some of Armin’s hair out of his face. “You talk too much,” He remarked, then picked up an oar. “Whatever you are, you saved me when you didn’t have to. It’s enough to show me where your heart is.”

“You…mean that?” Armin questioned hopefully as he pushed himself up and grabbed the other oar. “You’re not flipping out because I am half fish?”

“I’ve seen weirder shit,” Levi replied with a dismissive shrug of his shoulders. “Plus, you’re hot. In a fishy kind of way.”

“I…I still feel as though you’re exotic and I’d like to meet up with you after I take—” _Wait, I won’t be able to see him again once I am king_. A creeping feeling of disappointment fluttered to life within his heart. _Three days, it’s all I have with him_. “

“Again with the exotic?” Levi scoffed, shaking his head as he began to row the boat. He noticed the lack of help and looked back at Armin, noticing his eyes were trembling with worry. “After what?”

Armin cleared his throat, recollecting himself. “Nevermind, we have time.” He lied, plunging the oar into the water with more force than which was necessary. “Let’s collect the shark and be on our way.”

“Sure,” Levi responded, guiding the boat across the water towards the shark. “How old did you say you were again?”

“Eighteen,” Armin answered, setting the oar down as they arrived within grabbing range of the shark. “As of yesterday, actually…”

“And you’re from Atlantis, wearing expensive pearls,” Levi remarked, leaning over the boat to grab at the shark. “You have a sacrificial mission making you an unwanted youngest prince?”

“Almost,” Armin admitted while his cheeks tinted pink, reaching out to help lug the shark into the boat. “I am the youngest prince who has had to ascend to the title of king, but this tradition is commonplace.”

The boat rocked and threatened to tip over under the imbalanced weight of the two leaning against one side while they hauled the shark into the boat.

“Your dad die, then?” Levi asked, figuring the previous king had perished for Armin to be taking his place now.

“Grandfather, he’s who you might’ve heard of, though we’re a rather secretive species because of the long history of wars between our kinds.” Armin informed him as he helped him resituate the shark to balance their weight out to prevent the boat from tipping.

“I’ve only heard we trade with Atlantis, not specifically its kings,” Levi said, grabbing the oar again to lead them back to the shore. “Atlantis being another country of some kind that doesn’t permit entry to outsiders.”

“The wars are why we’re resistant towards allowing humans into our city,” Armin explained, helping Levi to row the boat back to the ship. “My understanding is that they—your kind de-evolved from us becoming hostile and apparently dark-skinned.”

“De-evolved?” Levi repeated, arching an eyebrow at him. “We might drown in water these days but at least we don’t burn up in the sun like you do.”

Heat splattered across Armin’s face as he remembered how pink his skin was becoming. He pressed his arms against his sides, ashamed of the discoloration marring his body. “Is that it? I really am burning?”

“Slowly, yes.” Levi answered, setting the oar down to look at him seriously. “Now how are we hauling your shark into the ship?”

It was a question that they pondered over for minutes until a plan was put into action. Within thirty minutes the shark was on deck and was being lugged to the coolest part of the ship where it could be preserved to some degree. Armin had his legs back and was panting with fatigue alongside Levi.

“There…isn’t any food around, is there?” He questioned, feeling his stomach rumble with hunger. The bread Levi had offered him in the morning had been insufficient as a breakfast but now he was really feeling the pain of hunger.

“Below deck some food survived the storm,” Levi responded, already heading up the stairs as he wiped sweat off of his forehead. “Bring some up for me too, I’ll be manning the boat.”

_I hope a barrel of fish survived_. Armin thought as he navigated his way around the boat to the storage room where a lot of fruit had been cracked open. He searched the barrels and the bags, making mental notes of what foods were probably still edible.

Once their inventory was counted Armin brought an armful of food above deck, making his way to the steering wheel. “You’re not going to burn up out here?” Armin asked, letting Levi grab some of the food out of his arms.

“Nah, burns aren’t really our style.” Levi said, then took a bite out of a fruit. “You’re flaring up, though.”

“Ngh!” Armin groaned, flushing red again. “Quit saying that!”

Levi smirked, amused. “I’m teasing you.”

Armin sighed tiredly. “I’m going to rest,” He muttered, holding the rest of the food in his arms that he had brought. “Please just try to get us to Egypt quickly.”

“If the winds will it.” Levi responded, keeping one hand on the wooden wheel. He watched Armin retreat and briefly thought of following him, then he decided against it for remaining on the ocean was dangerous.

Inside of the ship Armin found two large rooms that held many different beds, most of which were messy. One or two of them were made up, as if the person who had slept there had manners. He ignored these rooms, searching for something a little more private.

A tiny cabin was found to contain a spacious bed, complete with many colorful pillows. Armin entered and shut the door behind him. _I wonder if this is Levi’s room_? _And how does he know how to steer a ship if he’s a pharaoh? Or are Nubians a seafaring people_?

His thoughts and questions rushed at him as he plopped himself down onto the bed and began to munch on the food he procured for himself _. I thought he’d be surprised, or wary of me once he learned the truth about me but he’s surprisingly accepting which makes me wonder if other humans are this tolerant_.

_The history books would argue we shouldn’t trust humans again, but what if things could be different between us? His archery and maps of the world could benefit us as our swim lessons could help them not drown_. Armin thought, letting his mind wander while he ate. _Is there even a way to bring our kinds together again_?

Just as he began to wrack his brain for answers, he remembered an ancient Atlantean law that forbade Mers from interacting candidly with humans. The same one he had been violating all day. Shame spread across his face. _I’m supposed to be preventing my kingdom’s plunge into chaos, not trying to figure out how to see Levi after I’m king_! He berated himself while guilt welled up into his heart.

_What would the Mers even have to say about me befriending a human? Most of them have never seen a human before, let alone one sharing his skin complexion. Would they react like me or would they dislike it_?

Despite all rationality Armin continued to agonize over whether humans and Mers could co-exist and kept wondering if the third day with Levi would be his last. He spent a lot of time pondering philosophical questions and flirting with the idea of Mers and humans existing together in pace, thoughts that continued into the light sleep he succumbed to.

Nightmares of enraged Octopi and raging storms consumed his subconscious mind. The colors were more vivid than his last sleep, and the dark tones were more ominous, causing him to jolt awake in fear of an unknown future.

_Why? Why is this dream reoccurring_? Armin wondered, grabbing damp fistfuls of hair into the palm of his hands as he squeezed his eyes shut. _Is something bad going to happen if I don’t return home_? He feared for the uncertain future before him and prayed to Poseidon for protection.

It was all he could do, being far from home and full of worry.

When his prayer was over, he clamored out of the bedroom and returned to the deck, searching for Levi. He found the human where he had left him and ascended the few stairs to reach the higher level of the ship where the steering wheel was mounted.

“Are we close?” Armin asked hopefully, looking around at the open ocean.

“Yeah, the winds and tide have been rolling in our favor.” Levi answered, shifting from one foot to the other to alleviate pressure.

“Do you…want to lay down for awhile?” Armin questioned, noticing Levi’s discomfort.

“No, that’ll throw us off course.” Levi responded, refuting the offer. He then pointed a finger at the horizon. “Besides, we’ll be docking within the hour.”

In the distance Armin could see the faint outline of a village. He sat down and waited, opting to be near Levi over a musty cabin. _I don’t remember him sleeping at all_. _Maybe I should stay quiet so he can focus on docking the ship_.

Striking up a conversation seemed pointless to him as he considered how tired Levi appeared to be, and probably was.

“Do you uh, need help docking the ship?” Armin inquired, standing up as they neared the harbor. “Or something?”

“No.” Was all Levi replied as he hopped off of the edge, landing onto the lower deck to dock the ship properly with some rope and a trusty anchor. Once he finished securing the boat, he gestured for Armin to follow him down the ramp. “Come, we’ll rent a room for the night and continue on to Egypt tomorrow.”

“This isn’t Egypt?” Armin asked, clamoring after him to not be left behind. He looked around, seeing little mud houses that made up a tiny town.

“Does it look like Egypt?” Levi exasperated, then snapped at some people who were staring at the damaged boat. “What’re you staring at?”

They turned away and settled for hushed whispering.

“What is this town, then?” Armin questioned, looking at large nets and wooden poles with strings that were accessories to the town, evident by the way they hung on doors or were leaned against buildings near the doors. Thick awnings were hung over doors and windows to keep the sun at bay, though night had fallen awhile ago.

“Some fishing village with the intellect to construct a harbor,” Levi answered, grabbing Armin’s wrist to hurry him towards a large building nearby the harbor. He opened the door and ushered the young Mer inside, wanting to disappear from any onlookers who might recognize him. “They’re commonplace and are filled with annoying villagers.”

_Well, the air does stink here_. Armin thought, unfamiliar with the aroma of fish. “And this place we’re entering is…”

An eruption of noise made Armin quiet as he struggled to take the different sounds in as he was pushed into the room where tall, burly men were laughing and chatting loudly. Some of them held enormous cups and swished them around or smacked them against each other while others brought long, thick sticks to their mouths that made the room smoky.

Some of the men were playing with cards or were rolling dice. A few tall, slender figures in robes served drinks or food to the loud patrons. Armin stepped back against Levi, clasping a hand over his nose to filter out what he could of the smells he was assaulted with.

“This way,” Levi encouraged, setting his hands-on Armin’s shoulders to push him directly towards the stairs. “Remove your hand and lose the fear or you’re going to draw attention to—”

A dark shadow fell over them, blocking out the red light from the torches that were mounted on the wall.

“Shit.”

“Youse gots a lotta pearls thar,” A burly man blocking their path said as he thrust an arm out to further block them. “Ye should share the wealth.”

“Fuck off,” Levi barked, yanking Armin behind him. “No ones sharing anything because it’s not even real or are you too stupid to see that?”

“Hey—! I’m not astupid!” The guy bellowed, beating on his chest to emphasis his point. “Those pearls be shiny!”

“Oh they’re real alright,” A new lanky guy asserted as he stepped next to the taller man. “And I suggest you share or everyone in this tavern will know that boy—” He pointed a long, unkempt fingernail at Armin who squeaked and wrapped his arms around himself. “—carries riches with him.”

“Don’t do that!” Armin pleaded, taking a brave step forwards though his advance was stopped by Levi’s outstretched, protective arm. “I need these for—”

“Go earn your own!” Levi roared, lunging up to punch the thick man in the face. He ignored Armin’s shriek and the startled gasp of the scrawny, sneaky dude who had threatened him.

The ruckus gained the attention of the tavern’s patrons. They saw a short guy punch back a man three times his size. Hollers and hoots erupted from them in a chorus of, “Fight, fight!”

_Oh no! What is he doing_!? Armin panicked, feeling his heart race against his chest. _Sparring with Mers is one thing but this is something entirely different_!

“Why you little—oof!” The man’s angry goad was interrupted by Levi’s foot being thrust into his stomach. He collapsed to his wide knees and before he could regain breath, Levi’s elbow was jammed into the back of his neck, knocking him onto the ground.

“You want some too?” Levi threatened, turning his attention to the long-nosed partner in crime as he raised his fist.

The long-haired guy sidestepped out of the way and gestured with his arms to the staircase he and his brute friend had blocked a moment ago. “Right this way, Sir.” His groveling tone made Levi frown with disgust and brush past him while the barbarian gasped for breath on the ground.

“Uh, ah…” Armin stammered as he stepped around the thieving buffoon on the ground and hurried after Levi, pressing close to him as they ascended the stairs. “What was that about?”

“Dominance,” Levi answered, curling an arm around the Mer to keep him close. “Now no one will fuck with us while we sleep.”

“Would they really have tried to hurt us?” Armin asked in a hushed tone, following Levi to a desk where an obese man sat behind.

“Yeah, they’re thugs,” Levi responded, then focused on the man. “One room for two.” He demanded, reaching into a small coin purse he had strung onto his belt.

“Eh, don’t I know your face from somewhere?” The innkeeper questioned, propping an arm onto the desk.

“Forget it or die.” Levi warned, dropping a few coins onto the desk.

His abrasive behavior was startling to Armin who stayed quiet, preferring to fidget with his hands as he debated whether he was liking the dominant character Levi was expressing.

“You need not tell me twice,” The innkeeper said, collecting the coins. “Your room is at the end of the hallway.”

“Thank you,” Armin told the man, then scampered after Levi quickly, following him. “You gave him a lot of gold. Is that really okay?”

“It’s hush money,” Levi replied, pushing open the door. He stepped aside, letting Armin enter the room first then glanced back into the hallway to make sure they weren’t being followed. Satisfied, Levi stepped into the room and immediately pulled a wooden chair against it. “He’ll stay quiet so long as someone doesn’t pay him more money to talk.”

_Does he normally press chairs against doors or is he concerned_? Armin wondered as he stepped over to a wardrobe. He pulled it open, finding nothing but the wood structure inside.

“Keep watch,” Levi instructed as he laid down onto the bed. “And if anyone comes to the door, do not let them in.”

“Okay.” Armin responded, sitting down on the other bed. _It’s my turn to protect him and let him sleep_. Armin thought as he leaned back against the pillows. He looked around the tiny room and frowned with disappointment, noting there was nothing to do other then think as Levi slept.

_The shark is stored on the boat_. _He’ll be fine there while we travel to Egypt. I just hope the journey won’t be long since I really have to return with the shark before the sun sets on the third day_. Armin began to think, letting his mind wander. _The end of tonight will mark an entire day…if all goes well tomorrow, I can be on the boat ride home by nightfall_.

Hope of a brighter future kept his nerves calm through the night, despite hearing the consistent ruckus that came from downstairs in the form of loud music and men either laughing or brawling. Whenever he heard footsteps thrumming up the stairs he would tense and watch the door, but to his relief, no one seemed interested in robbing them.

_I guess Levi really scared the other men off_. Armin thought, feeling a small smile tug at the corners of his lips. _Who’d have thought such a short man could be so intimidating and powerful? My Mer friends would never believe me_! His smile widened, thinking of his friends back home. _If only they could meet each other, I’m sure they could learn something by sparring together_.

Pale moonlight shown in through a window, though its fickle light was fading. Armin rubbed at his eyes, trying to stay awake as another yawn left his mouth. He couldn’t be sure just how much time had past without looking at the moon again, so he stood up and approached the window. The stars outside were glowing faintly while the moon continued to disappear behind the sand dunes.

_It’s almost morning_. _He didn’t have a set time he wanted to be woken, but I know the sun got really hot early on in the day, so I’ll wake him soon_. Armin decided as he watched the stars twinkle in the late-night sky. He saw a glimmer of light shoot across the sky and folded his arms against the windowsill. _I wish I could figure out a way to be with Levi. I want to know more about him_.

As darkness fell over the sand dunes Armin rose to his feet and set a hand on Levi’s shoulder to shake him awake. “Wake up,” He called, his tone calm. “Egypt wants its Pharaoh back.”

“Ngh,” Levi groaned and pushed Armin away. “Not funny…” He complained, pulling a pillow over his head. “I cut their pharaoh’s throat open…watched him…choke on his own…nnnm…”

“Wake up,” Armin repeated, his voice becoming firmer with urgency for him to wake up so they could start their journey. “There’s a dead shark rotting in your boat.” He reminded him, fatigue making him sound irritable.

“Fine, fine…” Levi grumbled, stretching out on the hard, uncomfortable bed. “I’m up, I’m up just shut up for a minute and let me think.”

_I doubt he’s a morning person_. Armin guessed, sitting down on the bed he had spent a lot of the night on. _Still, I’m glad I was able to wake him up at all since someone I know doesn’t like to wake for anything_. His thoughts traveled to a chestnut haired, green eyed Mermale he’d grown up alongside.

“We need a camel,” Levi said as he rubbed his forehead with his fingers. “To do that, we need hoods…”

“A camel?” Armin repeated, watching Levi sit up and rise to his feet. “Hoods?”

“Leave the hoods to me,” Levi told him, already making his way for the door. “You stay here.”

_I have a bad feeling about this_. Armin thought, drawing his legs against his chest. He waited and wondered what Levi’s plan would consist of.

Upon hearing footsteps he looked up and watched as the door opened. He saw Levi step inside and noticed he had acquired two hooded cloaks. One was black while the other was white, and while they differed in size, Armin could see they both were large as if owned previously by tall men.

“Where did you—”

“Doesn’t matter,” Levi interrupted him as he tossed the white cloak towards him. “Put it on, we’re leaping out of the window.”

_It doesn’t sound like he bought them_. Armin thought as he pulled the white cloak on. He pulled the hood over his head and stepped over to the window to judge the distance to the ground. “I don’t think we’re on ground level.”

“We’re not,” Levi responded, tugging the cloak onto his body as he approached the window. He grabbed the handles and pushed it open, letting the chill of the desert night waft in. “Are you scared?”

“Should I be?” Armin asked as he carefully climbed onto the roof. The solid mud balcony was cool against the soles of his feet unlike the rough sand of the beach.

“Only if we get caught,” Levi answered, pulling himself onto the windowsill. He stepped onto the roof and scoured his surroundings, noting the position of any drunks wandering the early morning streets and the few windows that were lit up on nearby buildings. “This way.” He urged, gesturing for Armin to follow before leaping off of the building.

Armin gasped and peered over the building, watching Levi land on a fabric awning hanging over a window to keep the midday sun out. His heart calmed a bit as he saw the human land safely on his feet a few moments later. He sucked in a small breath for courage, then jumped onto the awning.

A tearing noise was the only warning Armin had before the fabric ripped under his weight. The sensation of falling made him cry out and flail, grasping at tattered fabric. He crashed into Levi’s arms seconds later, gasping and panting.

“Guessing you didn’t watch how I rolled off,” Levi remarked, setting Armin onto the ground and shoved him into an alleyway. “Pay more attention next time.”

“Didn’t know it mattered,” Armin muttered, his face warming with embarrassment. “A-and anyways, couldn’t we have taken the front door?”

“That would have taken longer,” Levi responded, leading him around the back of the tavern. “Now, act natural.” He instructed, approaching a line of wooden pegs which had camels tied to them by thick rope.

The taupe hued Dromedary camels stood well over six feet and towered over both young adults. Armin watched Levi slice the rope to free the tallest camel, then grasp the rope to pull it away from the others. Mindlessly, the camel followed, appearing to have little motivation to resist.

“Get on.” Levi told Armin, gesturing with his hand towards the mammal. 

“Uhm, you want me to ride that…creature?” Armin asked, arching an eyebrow at the camel’s long eyelashes, blank stare and thick lips. He glanced back at Levi. _Those same features look good on him, though_.

“It is called a camel; it’s how we travel through the desert so hop on.” Levi urged, tapping his foot.

_I’d rather ride a giant seahorse_. Armin thought as he pulled himself onto the camel’s back with the unexpected help from Levi, giving him a helping push. “Uh, thanks.”

“Keep your hood on over your head and don’t make eye contact with anyone,” Levi said, pulling on the rope as he navigated through the back alleyway towards the main dirt street. “We need to be quick about this.”

“You’re not going to ride with me?” Armin questioned, watching Levi guide the camel through the street. He kept his head down low as Levi had instructed him to do so the hood shaded his face.

“No, you’re posing as my white slave if we’re asked,” Levi responded, walking briskly against the sand. “I hear our Arabic neighbors have many of them, though I never believed it until I saw you.”

“Slaves?” Armin repeated, frowning. “What’s that even—”

“A camel is missing!” A voice cried out, coming from behind them.

Levi turned his head to see a young paige burst from the alleyway and then rush into the tavern. “That’s our cue to get the hell out of town.” He said, giving the camel a hard nudge. The animal bleated in pain, then lunged forth, breaking into a run. As the mammal darted through the town, Levi hopped onto the second hump and nudged its ribs again.

“Ngh!” Armin gasped and wrapped his arms around the camel’s head, holding on tightly as the dry, hot wind whipped his face. _This is what riding a camel is like? I’d rather ride a seahorse_!

“Relax, they’re not—”

The noise of heavy hoofbeats kicking sand up made Levi look back.

“Nevermind, they are…” Levi muttered, realizing they were being followed by men on camelback. “Hold on tight and trust me, I’ve raced camels before, and I won’t let this one lose.” He said, goading the camel to run faster with another sharp kick to its ribs.

“Do you have to be so rough with it?” Armin snapped, hearing the camel bleat again and sprint faster. “I think you’re hurting it!”

“It’s that or we get gored by scimitars, your choice,” Levi retorted, unsheathing his knives while Armin grimaced at him. _We had a head start, but with the two of us weighing him down, it’s just a matter of time before they catch up to us_. _Ugh_. “Wait for me at the oasis just up ahead.” He said, leaping off of the camel with his daggers drawn.

A fluid roll landed Levi onto his feet, his daggers bared.

_Without my spear, there’s little I could do to not be in his way_. Armin thought, contemplating how effective sand in the face would be against men who wielded swords. _I’ll just have to trust he can fight them off_.

The click and clang of sword fighting erupted from behind Armin, making him grit his teeth. _If I’d just had my spear_ …He fretted, wondering when he had the spear last. _I gored the shark with it, then…then he slammed into me and I think I dropped it into the gorge_ …His heart sank with he loss of his spear, thinking he would never find it if it indeed fell into the underwater gorge.

_And it was a family heirloom_ …A sigh escaped from his lips as he glanced up to see the morning sun rising into the sky. He was already sweating, and his skin was becoming pink again. _I hope Egypt is not far away, otherwise I’ll burn up before I arrive and that’s provided Levi finds me at the Oasis because without him, I have no idea as to where I am going_.

In the distance he could see the faint outline of water which made him squint. As the camel approached the water, Armin could see a few palm trees were peppered about the oasis. He slid off the camel and tied the rope around the closest palm tree to ensure the camel could receive a drink of water and shade while they waited for Levi to find them.

_If the men are victorious and they find me, I may have to rush into the desert and hope the camel remembers the way to Egypt_. Armin thought as he knelt down on one knee to reach into the dusty water to splash his face with.

Cooling down preoccupied his mind. Once he had splashed water onto his body, he debated on whether to drink it or not. The sand granules in the water made him hesitant, even after he filtered as much of them out as he could with a few shakes of his hands.

The cool water was refreshing and revitalized his spirit. He approached a palm tree and then craned his neck to stare up at the budding coconuts. Armin tentatively shook the tree and saw them shake so he shook it again with more oomph. A single coconut fell and crashed onto the ground and split open. Its white liquid began to spill onto the sand.

_What’s that_? Armin wondered as he hurriedly picked the two shells up and balanced them in his hand to prevent more of the milk from spilling out _. I wonder if it’s edible_. He tentatively brought one of the shells to his mouth and pressed it against his lips. The cool liquid slid into his mouth. _Mmm, it tastes good_.

Once he finished sipping the milk, he found a shaded spot underneath a palm tree to lay back against the warm sand. He folded his arms underneath his head and gazed up at the clear blue sky where the sun burned brightly, threatening to scorch any who dared leave their hole or sliver of shade. His eyelids became heavy and despite reason, he shut them.

“Hey,” a firm voice roused Armin awake. His eyes fluttered open slowly to see a familiar man. “You’d be dead, falling asleep like that midday.”

“Oh,” Armin muttered sheepishly as he rubbed sleep out of his eyes. “I-I knew you wouldn’t die out there and would come for me.”

Levi crossed his arms over his chest and stared at him, unamused.

“R-really,” Armin insisted, sitting upright. “Us Mers have, uh, prophetic, err…prowress?”

“All of you do?” Levi questioned, narrowing his eyes.

Armin squirmed under his skeptical gaze. “Uh, well, not all of us…it’s just that…”

“Come on,” Levi said as he untied the rope from the palm tree’s trunk to free the brooding camel. “We don’t have all day.”

“Coming,” Armin replied, hurrying after Levi. He stopped, noticing bright red splatter stains marring his dark skin. “Is…is that…?”

“Theirs,” Levi answered, holding the rope leash in his hands to guide the camel with. “They won’t catch up to us.”

“Then they…” Armin swallowed hard, paling. “Because we…” _We stole the camel_. Armin realized as his eyes widened with guilt. _It’s our fault_.

“Don’t worry about it,” Levi told him, waving a dismissive hand, stained with blood. “Just get on.”

With a helping lift from Levi, Armin climbed onto the camel and gripped the coarse hair tightly. “Are we bad people?”

“I don’t wonder about that,” Levi responded, guiding the camel forwards. “Our choices are ours to make as was theirs.”

_They didn’t do anything wrong to us, though_ …Armin thought, feeling his face heat up. He turned away from Levi and squeezed his eyes shut, feeling hot liquid tears sting the corner of his eyes. As they were exposed to oxygen and imbued with his feelings, the water solidified into a pearl that dropped soundlessly onto his lap, one after the other.

Around them the dry desert wind blew, ruffling their clothes and as the teary pearls rolled down his cheeks they ‘chhk’d’ against the others. The brief noise of the pearls clinking against each other drew Levi’s attention towards the Mer.

“You’re crying?” Levi remarked, raising an eyebrow at the glossy sheen reflecting in his eyes.

Armin quickly rubbed his hands against his eyes, drying them before more tears solidified into pearls. “No.” He refuted stubbornly, looking away from him again.

“Well, your necklace broke.” Levi mentioned, noticing the pearls resting on Armin’s lap.

“My neck—” Armin repeated, startled as he grabbed at his necklaces. He let out a sigh of relief, finding each necklace was in tact. “You mean the pearls on my lap, right?”

“Yeah, you weren’t holding them before and nor were they clinking around in your pockets.” Levi said, plucking one of them off of his lap. He rubbed it between his thumb and index finger, noting the gritty texture and narrowed his eyes with thought.

“Actually, it’s kind of embarrassing to talk about…” Armin muttered, rubbing the back of his neck. “We, uh, cry pearls when we’re sad and on land.”

“You what?” Levi questioned, returning the pearl to the small heap of brethren it came from.

“For us of royal or noble standing we’re required to string them into necklaces and wear our sadness until we ascend the throne or became a man,” Armin began as he scooped them up into his hands. “Once we do, we cast the necklaces aside and leave behind the weight of the past to lead a future beneficial to our people.”

“People don’t try to steal them?” Levi asked, watching as Armin untied a low hanging necklace from his neck to then string the new pearls through.

“No, these pearls are our own and they’re not valued for that same reason,” Armin responded, retying the necklace around his neck. _I sure don’t like making them, but I’m used to it_. “Pearls are strewn throughout Atlantis, and they’re so abundant that we reuse them in anyway we can.”

“You should sell them to us, we could use them here in Egypt for…something.” Levi suggested, figuring he could start a pearl trade that would not only increase the economic growth of the country, but it would fill his pocket as well.

“Clothes,” Armin told him, then gestured to the ones he wore. “Turn the pearls into clothes, they have great absorption capabilities and protect us from the sun’s rays.”

“That is a use for them?” Levi questioned, narrowing his eyebrows skeptically.

“Yeah, if you grind the pearls into powder you can even use them in skin care products.” Armin insisted, waving his hand for emphasis.

“Skin care products would be popular amongst the women. They’re always complaining about wrinkles...” Levi mused, toying with the idea of creating a successful business. “Show me how to turn them into skin products when we arrive in Egypt.”

“I can’t,” Armin said, shaking his head. “Any pearls I have I must keep until I take the throne.”

“Then show me after you take the throne,” Levi told him, pressing his arm against his forehead to shield his eyes from the sun. “Fuck it’s bright out…”

“You’re coming with me to Atlantis?” Armin asked, readjusting the necklaces around his neck. 

“I’m not letting you take the maps or the ship by yourself, after all.” Levi stated, then stretched his arm away from his head to point a finger at the horizon. “We’re in this together, all the way to Egypt.”

“Is that Egypt, there?” Armin questioned, seeing faint outlines of buildings in the distance.

“Yeah,” Levi answered, nodding. “We’ve arrived.”

The buildings ranged in varying sizes and shapes although the square structures with flat roofs were common. They each had awning shades over squared windows, a necessity in the desert to keep the brunt of the suns rays out of the house.

“It’s…larger than I anticipated.” Armin admitted, feeling intimidated as they entered the city. _Atlantis doesn’t cover nearly so many miles_.

“No other town on this side of the Nile can compare which is why we chose to conquer Egypt,” Levi agreed, pulling the camel through the worn street tamed by shoes, hoofs and carriage wheels. “Now the desert knows who its rulers are.”

“Are those soldiers under your command?” Armin inquired, noticing men armed with swords were stationed around the town. They stood stiffly and wore serious expressions on their faces.

“Yeah they—” Levi began, then stopped abruptly in front of an alleyway they were passing. “Hey!” He called to a guard who threw a young, shrieking girl against a wall. “Get your damn hands off her, this isn’t Muslim country!”

Jolting, the guard turned around as he drew his sword, ready for a fight. “She’s a thieving little rat and should be punished,” He argued, “Besides, by whose authority—” His eyes widened with recognition as Levi unsheathed two little obsidian daggers. “Mi’ King…my apologies…” The man said, dropping to one knee.

As he did, the girl ran away.

“If I catch you fucking with kids again, you’ll receive the death penalty, even if she is a thieving girl.” Levi warned, sheathing the daggers before anyone else could realize who he was. _I need to keep my identity secret for now or I’ll be dragged back to the castle_.

“Understood.” Was all the soldier responded as he kept his head bowed.

Levi resumed their trek through the town, tugging on the camel’s rope. “Some soldiers have different ideas about what they’re allowed to do and what we stand for as a people. It pisses me off.”

“What was he going to do to her, anyways?” Armin inquired, rubbing at his arms. The conflict had left him feeling unsettled.

“Don’t know, don’t care.” Levi replied, treading slowly through the marketplace. “That shit just isn’t encouraged under my reign.”

“Others allow it?” Armin asked, his eyes widening with astonishment.

“Unfortunately, though I’m proud to say we fought back against those motherfuckers and won.” Levi said while he surveyed the area. His eyes darted around quickly, noticing the way patrons were hunching close together to whisper towards each other. “Though…there are dissenters that insist they will return with larger forces.”

“You’re talking about war,” Armin remarked, gasping with horror at the thought of bloodshed. “A war with who and when—” A dark hand rose to silence Armin. He quieted and followed Levi’s gaze to men who were skulking about a nearby stall.

“The storm was brought about I hear, by a Mermaid washing up on the shore.”

“No, no. I hear the local fishermen caught a mermaid and that is the reason for the storm.”

“Well what about the lighthouse? I hear it’s not being lit up anymore and that’s why ships are crashing.”

“Don’t believe everything you hear,” Levi called, addressing the superstitious men. “Folktales aren’t substantiated by scholars.”

Alongside him Armin nudged him with his elbow.

“Scholars? I’m sitting right next—”

“Shh,” Levi interrupted, waving a hand at him to hush him. “Your skin are drawing attention to us.”

All Armin could do was pull the hood around his head tighter and walk quicker, letting Levi lead. Levi led them around the palace and brought him in through a secret passageway. It was dark and cramped, the air musty and stale. As unpleasant as the narrow, underground path was, it did lead them into the palace and from there they darted through hallways and ducked behind huge ceramic pots that contained leafy plants.

When they arrived at the final hallway Levi pulled his hood over his head.

“Stay here and don’t shriek.” Levi told him then rushed forwards as he unsheathed his daggers.

The gasps of startled guards that echoed on the palace walls were followed with loud, resounding thuds. Armin peered around the corner of the wall to see the guards crumpled on the ground.

“A-are they…” Armin asked, his voice uncertain as he stared at the unmoving guards.

“Knocked out.” Levi responded, sheathing his weapons before he pushed open the arched double doors to his bedroom. He strutted in, owning the place—at least since he took it over and re-decorated it in dark greens and ivory hues.

From behind him Armin followed him inside, stepping around the guards cautiously. He looked around the room, his eyes wide as he took in the furnishing. _I could get used to a place like this, and that_ …His eyes fixated on a stool with dark green cushioning and ivory painted wood.

“We’re just here for the maps, right?” Armin inquired as he sat down tentatively on the stool and watched Levi approach a book case.

“Yeah.” Levi responded, pulling a few books from the shelf.

While he was distracted with grabbing books that contained maps of the sea, Armin glanced around the room again, stunned by the sheer opulence of the room. He noted the legs of the bed frame, seeing two tiny wings etched onto them. This same engraving he found on the legs of the stool he sat on, too and then spotted it on the book case as well.

“What are the engravings on your furniture?” Armin asked, wondering if the furniture was created by the same craftsman or if there was another reason the duo wings were scratched onto the wood.

“Wings,” Levi answered, putting the books into a carrying case. “Because only with wings can we be truly free to choose how we want to live.”

_I have a tailfin but I’m guessing it’s not the same_ …Armin thought, looking down at his legs. _If I had wings_ …His eyes settled on his arms. _Would I be able to choose both my kingdom and Levi_? He pondered the question for a long minute, then he stood up. “What if…what if there was a way we could see each other after our adventure?”

“You’re planning something stupid, I’m sure.” Levi said, hoisting the bag over his shoulder. “Forget it and let’s get out of here.”

“But…what if tonight we marry and then—”

“Wed!?” Levi exclaimed, shaking his head with bewilderment. “You’re a guy—fish, thing.”

“If we married, we would be uniting the land and the sea—think about it.” Armin insisted, approaching him. “Our nations already trade, and we’d give you safe passage over our waters in return for keeping our waters safe from other countries.”

Levi’s eyes widened as he recognized a diplomatic proposition when he heard one. He considered the benefits of marrying the Atlantean Guppy Prince and looked him over again. _A scandal would be interesting_. Levi figured, setting the bag down on the bed.

“You’ll make a scandalous wife.” Levi stated, smirking with amusement as Armin balked at him.

“You’re the pretty one!” Armin argued, pointing accusingly to Levi’s black hair that was shiny with sweat.

“Pretty?” Levi scoffed, shaking his head with disbelief. “This coming from the Mermaid adorned in pearls?”

As much as Armin wanted to argue, one look in the mirror told him he was the wife. He was taller, scrawnier, and was covered in glittering pearls. “Ugh,” He moaned, pressing his fingers to his forehead. “Fine.”

“Besides, I’ve already established myself as a man in these parts.” Levi added, heading for the door now.

“Where are you going?” Armin asked, noticing the bag of map books was discarded on the bed.

“If we’re uniting the kingdoms I must announce my return, and my fishy, female prize.” Levi answered, swinging the door open. The guards were still unconscious on the ground. “Come on.” He said, stepping unceremoniously on the guards.

“Uh…uh r-right.” Armin muttered and followed Levi into the hallway.

Levi introduced Armin to the entire palace, some of whom he barked at to fetch supplies for the sudden wedding. The palace was huge—something Armin learned quickly from being led around it. To his surprise and dismay, no one even questioned his gender. He was presented as a woman and the staff accepted the information.

What the staff all had a problem with, however, was how light-skinned Armin was. Most of the staff had never seen a pale-skinned person before which meant they all had something to say about it. Some of the staff made disparaging comments while other people were simply curious or intrigued.

As a Pharaoh with Nubian prince origins, Levi had the authority and man power to construct an entire wedding ceremony by the end of the day. Armin was impressed, and excited, thinking of how beneficial their union would be to both countries, and how much he wanted to marry Levi anyways.

Sure, he might not know Levi’s favorite color—though he assumed it was either the black he commonly wore or the dark green he had featured in his bedroom, but the little things like that didn’t matter. Armin knew he was insanely attracted to Levi and they were both of royal origins—that was enough for him.

When the dressing staff took Armin’s measurements and later wanted to dress him, he was careful not to let them see that he was a man. For all intents and purposes he knew he needed to convince the Egyptians he was a female and therefore was wife material. He kept his pearls—they were to remain on him until the day he became king—or officially a man by Mermale standards through completion of other traditions.

Marriage being one of them. Guppies another.

By the late afternoon the betrothed duo stood in the palace court yard under the light of the setting sun. The sand glittered around them while the obsidian statue of Anubis—rumored to soon be constructed out of the limestone bedrock near Giza in megalithic proportions—stood behind them.

A crowd of people with varying opinions about the marriage watched for traditions to be upheld. At the center of attention Levi shoved a hand into his pants pocket and brought out his stone thumb ring he relied on for his archery. This he presented to Armin.

“You may wear this on your finger as your promise to me that you’ll introduce Nubian archery to Atlantis.” Levi said, grabbing Armin’s hand to slip the ring onto his finger. “And as my gift to you on this day of union or some shit.”

“I, err…don’t have much I can really give you, but…ahh, this’ll do, I think.” Armin responded, pulling a pearl bracelet off of his wrist, then held it out to him. “My marriage to you is absolving my former guardians of their duty to care for me and because of that I can shed the bracelet of my childhood to give to you as proof you’ll have reign over my kingdom as much as this one as long as I become King.”

One tradition – gift giving between participants was completed.

Levi gestured to the newly constructed Anubis statue as he focused on the citizens and nobility alike that watched with critical, questioning gazes. “Anubis, made of obsidian, will belong to no one and will therefore not have monetary value for he is a gift to Osiris.”

“Anubis? Osiris?” Armin questioned quietly, looking at the statue.

“Osiris, protector, ruler and judge of the dead.” Levi clarified, then lowered himself onto one knee before the statue. “The one god you do not want to piss off.”

Quickly Armin shed half of the pearls he wore and draped them around the Anubis statue to offer them to Osiris, then knelt before the statue as well, having Osiris on his mind. _Did you judge my parents, I wonder_? He rose when Levi did and watched as he procured a few gold pieces that were crafted into sheep and dropped them into his hands. “What’s this?” He asked, starting at the gold figurines.

“Currency,” Levi responded, then clarified when he saw the confusion in Armin’s face, “Gold, it is gold because of the price I have to pay for you to be my wife.”

“Do I need to give you gold too?” Armin questioned, frowning with concern. He had nothing on him except pearls, and this also meant he could give very little to the gods.

To his relief Levi shook his head.

“No, we just have to exchange the documents we wrote up, and read them for all to hear so they will know our union benefits them as much as it does each other.” Levi explained, picking up the scroll he wrote on earlier and unfurled it. He then began to read it, reciting the benefits Atlantis would receive by lending them their prince.

Once Levi was finished relaying the terms of agreement Armin read from the scroll a staff member had helped him to write and sign since he was ignorant of Egyptian pen. He read slowly, listening carefully for memory clues from Levi. His main contribution to the Egyptians would be allowing them safe passage over turbulent waters that had sunk many of their trading ships before.

“And as long as we remain married, there shall be no war between our kingdoms.” Armin finished, handing the scroll over to a staff worker who would hang it up next to Levi’s scroll on a prominent wall in the palace for all to see.

Even those who disagreed with the sudden wedding liked the promised idea of peace between their two kingdoms. Atlantis had always been a wildcard to the Egyptians. Sure, they traded with them, but they didn’t know much about them which had made relations tense. Now, they were relieved. A door to a new future was about to be open.

Armin felt Levi’s hand press against his shoulder and turned to look at him. He blushed as their lips met and curled his arms around his neck. His heart raced excitedly within his chest as they kissed and imagined how bright their future would be once he returned to Atlantis with the shark and became king.

For once in his life he was convinced he was making the right decision. A decision that would benefit people from both nations, one that would last many years. The people seemed to think so as well because they were cheering.

Levi grabbed Armin’s hand and stretched it into the air alongside his as he turned to face his subjects and show them they were all one united front. His eyes widened as he saw a background of blue stretch over the orange and yellow flecked horizon. He heard Armin gasp and knew he was seeing the same thing—a tidal wave of blue.

In the desert.

Slowly the people turned as well, concerned by the sudden fearful expressions their rulers had dawned.

Shocked gasps were the only noise that erupted over the crowd and then a eerie silence washed over them. No one had anything to say about their oncoming doom. They were trapped by the overwhelming fear that was making their brains short circuit.

There was no way water could be rushing at them. It just wasn’t possible. This was Egypt. Drought was the only plague they knew. Yet a wall of water was blocking out the sun, casting a shadow over the entirety of the town.

“Oh no…” Armin murmured, his own eyes widening with abject fear while dread prickled through his body. _Did I make the wrong choice_? He gasped, feeling Levi’s arm curl around his scrawny waist and tug him against him just as the tsunami crashed down onto the town.

Everyone screamed and began to scatter while Levi held Armin close. The rushing water roared as it swept through the streets, washing away citizens, animals, and carts while simultaneously wrecking housing and merchant stalls.

“Fuck…” Levi grumbled as the water came at them. _Were our gifts to the gods not enough_?

The water slammed into the newly weds, trapping them beneath a watery veil. Armin desperately tried to hold on to Levi’s hand, knowing if they got separated now they might never see each other again because while he could survive under the water, Levi could not.

Their fingers slid away from each other from the force of the water. They careened through the courtyard, knocking into pillars and palm trees. Armin was okay—he knew he was okay—hurt, and aching, but fine. His legs had fused together into a scaly fin while gills reformed onto his body, allowing him to breathe under the water.

_I have to find Levi_. Armin told himself, frantic as he held on to a pillar, his arms wrapped around it tightly to not wash away with the current. When the water settled he raced through the water, swishing his fin left to right in quick, powerful flicks.

Fish, fruits, and splintered wood pieces were thrust through the water, some of which Armin darted away from to avoid being hit by. He searched for Levi, panicked he would find him too late.

_What went wrong? Was it our union? Did we not offer enough gifts to the gods? Or is this because I haven’t returned to Atlantis with the shark yet? But I have one more day_ … Armin fretted, scouring the grounds for Levi.

Calling for Levi wasn’t an option—Levi did not have a capability for echo location, nor any other types of underwater communications. This mean all Armin could do was swim around in a panic. He hurried upwards to scout from a higher advantage and noticed some people had broken through the water.

None of their shoes nor their outfits were reminiscent of Levi’s so Armin looked back at the palace. His heart swelled as he spotted Levi making a dash for the surface of the water. He swam towards him with renewed vigor, thrilled he hadn’t drowned.

Just as Levi began to slow his ascent Armin thrust his arms around him and pulled him the rest of the way to the surface. As they broke through the thin veil of water night befell them. Levi coughed and sputtered, desperate to regain lost breath.

“I’m so glad I found you,” Armin said, helping to hold Levi above the water. “How did you survive that long under water!?”

“When you sail the seas…you learn to hold your breath...real quick,” Levi responded between heavy breaths. His lungs still burned from the chilly salt water that had invaded them. He took another moment to re-collect himself and then looked around, noticing the devastation that had befallen the palace, and Egypt itself. “Shit…”

“I…think this is my fault…” Armin muttered, his face flushing red with shame as he stared at the ocean before him. “I should have been heading home, no matter what.”

“Forget whose fault it is,” Levi snapped, pulling away from him. “We need to figure out if anyone is alive.” He said, beginning to swim away.

“I—I can’t.” Armin protested, though he followed him. “I have to return to the ship and get the shark home before my world turns into chaos as well.”

“You said it yourself—” Levi looked directly at him. “—This is your fault, now help me help kids to dry land.”

“But you said—” Armin started to argue, then decided against it as Levi’s words echoed in his head. “Wait, why only the children?”

“Because fuck adults,” Levi responded, stopping as he heard shouting to listen for it. “They’re all shitty assholes.”

_If we caused this, we’re no better_. Armin thought, watching Levi quickly peddle to a child who was clinging to a piece of debris. Levi grabbed the boy and reunited him with his mother who was near by, standing atop a pillar, reaching for him. _I better help him_. Armin relented, choosing to spend most of the night fishing alive people out from the water to help them stand atop a surface.

The water was slowly receding back to the ocean and what water didn’t trickle back from whence it came would be evaporated by the next few midday suns. As a new dawn was beginning Armin took off for the ship, feeling the crunch of time weigh on his shoulders. He searched around the remnants of the ship and was relieved to find the deceased shark still residing in the lower chamber of the boat.

Lugging the shark to higher levels of the ship was difficult for Armin who was the only one who could reach the lower levels because they were submerged under the water, as was the entire boat. He knew Levi waited for him on a rowboat they had secured on their way over.

When Armin finally lugged the shark to the surface he was panting.

“It took you awhile,” Levi muttered, helping Armin to heave the shark into the row boat since they hadn’t found rope. “And that shit fucking stinks.”

“He’s really heavy,” Armin complained, pulling himself into the row boat. “You have the maps, right?”

“Some of the ink is damaged from the water but the currents we need are here,” Levi answered, gesturing to the damp book resting beside him. He picked it up and pointed at a current with his finger. “This is the one we want.”

One look at the map gave Armin a good idea of where they needed to return to and nodded. “We can’t waste time then, we have to arrive tonight even if it’s not plausible.”

“I’ve had no sleep in almost an entire day and little food but yeah, sure, I’ll get you across the ocean in time.” Levi muttered, rolling his eyes while he picked up some oars and began to row the boat.

Across from him Armin’s eyebrows narrowed with determination as he grabbed the other pair of oars. “We don’t have a choice, especially if the flood was because the Kraken is mad that I have yet to return.”

“Duly noted, Fish-Non-Wife, Wife.” Levi stated, busy rowing the oars.

Armin just rolled his eyes and helped him row to their destination; Atlantis.


End file.
